


First Meal: Sushi

by Apricots_from_Nara



Series: Cell Tries Food [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Cell eats food for the first time, Cute, First Dates, Fluff, Multi, Sushi, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 10:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18636109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apricots_from_Nara/pseuds/Apricots_from_Nara
Summary: Cell has become interested in what else life can offer him ever since taking you as his student. You suggest that the two of you go out to eat, and he agrees.





	First Meal: Sushi

**Author's Note:**

> took a little break from my other fics to write this. I've never written 2nd person before so feedback would be great.

Cell scratched his chin, and you followed his gaze. He was looking out over the city, perhaps he saw something you couldn’t?

“I have come to find there is much more than just fighting.” he finally said, “Training others has proven to be quite rewarding and enjoyable. And now I wonder, what else is there?”

He looks at you with what is an obvious invitation to suggest something to him. He was putting you on the spot, and in situations like this, you were a mess. You thought it over too quickly, spewing out the first thing that came to mind. “How about a date?”

Cell arched a brow, and you hoped he had no idea what that was. You could recover, hopefully hiding the fact you had started crushing on his smug ass. “Like, we can go hang out. Eat some food.”

He looked away. “Eat some food.” He said it slowly, like he was testing the phrase out in his mouth, “I must admit, I have never had food as most see it.”

You blinked at him, but were pleased he seemed to like the idea. Perhaps his comparing his training you to cooking had made him curious. “Okay, I will meet you in the food district at six?”

Cell smirked at you. “Why wait? I have nothing else to do. Lets go now.”

Ah, a lunch ‘date’ then. You guessed you were a bit hungry. “Um, alright then. What do you want to try?”

Cell looked at you, confused. Oh… did he not know there was more than one kind of food? You never expected him to be that… Naive.

You started naming off a few. “The closest places are a pizza joint, a bistro, and then a sushi place.”

Cell thought it over. “What is Sushi?”

“Vinegared rice. It’s usually served with seafood. You know, fish, squids, shrimp.”

Cell looked thoughtful. “My, sounds surprisingly simple. I will try that first.”

You tucked your hair behind your ear. Great. He literally picked the most expensive option, but it had been awhile since you had it. “Alright, lets go.”

You both walked there, Cell lingering a few steps behind you. You knew the way, he didn’t. As you drew closer you already were planning how to go about paying it all off. You liked eating a lot, and Cell probably would to.

When you arrived, You opted for the booth seats, as they didn’t have backs. Cell sat himself, arms folded as he looked over the chefs working on other peoples orders. You sat next to him, taking the menu. You already knew what your plan was. The big party platter, which let you pick four rolls of your choice with a chef’s selection of two dozen pieces of nigiri, two of each.

It was a lot of food, but you figured it would be enough to start. It was also cheaper than ordering everything individually.

As you marked what two rolls you wanted (monster roll and king kong) you slid the roll selection to Cell. “Here, read these over and see what you want. You get two.”

Cell lifted the menu, scanning it. He glanced at the waiter who handed them their water, before looking back. “What is the difference between the Uramaki and Makizushi?”

“Uh, the uramaki is inside out. Rice on the outside and it's usually more western inspired and complex. Makizushi is usually pretty simple and traditional.”

Cell hmmed. “I will have a spicy tuna makizushi and this… Mango Tango roll.” He said it slowly, seemingly humored by the name.

You looked up at him. “You sure you want spicy? It’s pretty spicy. For someone who has never eaten it might be a bit much for you.”

Cell scoffed. “Please…” He looked offended, and so you dropped the subject.

The chef closest to you handed you both each a platter of wasabi and ginger, plus a small helping of pickled cucumbers and seaweed salad. Cell eyed it, looking at you expectantly.

“Wasabi, ginger, and then a little side salad to hold you over until the first round of sushi comes.” you pointed the the wasabi, “This is spicy. Really spicy. I like mixing a little with soy sauce. The ginger is a palette cleanser but some people put it on their food too.”

“And this?” Cell lifted up the little paper package of chopsticks, and you suddenly realized he would have no idea how to use them.

“You don't need that. You eat sushi with your hands.”

“Am I supposed to eat the salad with my hands?”

Well so much for that. You took your own chopsticks, holding them up. “Observe.” you opened the package, slipping them out, and then breaking them in half. Cell repeated, then copied how you were holding them. 

You slowly demonstrated how to pick up a bunch of the salad with them, Cell’s eyes narrowed as he observed you. It was a bit confusing, you had to admit. Hopefully he learned as well as he taught. Last thing you or anyone needed was Cell getting angry at not being able to use chopsticks.

The next two minutes were admittedly, one of the most harmlessly entertaining things you had seen in awhile. Cell fumbled with the chopsticks a bit, and his frustration was making him fumble even more. 

“You are holding them too close to the end.”

“Quiet. I know what I’m doing.”

“I can get the waitress to get us some chopstick helpers…”

“I do not need help.”

“Master, you are no less perfect for fumbling with something you have never done before.” you added the title on, something you didn’t do normally, to try and make it stick.

Cell ignored you, finally managing to grasp a little of the salad and get it into his mouth without dropping anything. He still was not holding them right, but as you said, sushi was eaten with hands. You leaned forward and watched him chew, his brows creasing.

“Do you like it?”

“It is… Oddly refreshing.” Cell reached for his water, watching you again. You demonstrated how to drink from the straw provided, taking a sip. He did the same, grimacing a little.

“What’s wrong?”

“It hurts my teeth.”

“Oh you don't sip through your teeth you just, put the straw in your mouth, over the tongue and then drink.”

Cell made a face, almost like he was… Embarrassed. It was cute. He tried again, and this time he did not grimace.

The first set of nigiri came out, and you slowly sectioned out so you both got one each. Then you poured yourself a bit of soy sauce into your dish, mixing up some wasabi with it as a final touch. Cell copied you, and you subtly shook your head. He didn't have to do exactly like you did. “Try it without it first. Here, go for the salmon. Its mild.”

You pointed out which one was the salmon, and Cell put the whole thing in his mouth. His eyes widened a bit, looking up. “It's… Subtle. Delicate almost. This flavor.”

“You sound like a food critic.” You ate yours, putting it in the wasabi soy sauce mixture, “Next time I should take you somewhere where you can get a grasp of the basic flavors. If you want to get salty and spicy out of the way, try the wasabi and soy sauce.”

Cell used the end of one of his chopsticks to scoop up some wasabi onto it. With a sniff he put it in his mouth. For a few moments nothing happened, but then his shoulders went back and he made a coughing sound.

Some people snickered from behind the two of you. You had to admit, Cell was not exuding the usual bravado or intimidation. Still you turned around and glared at them a moment before pushing Cell’s water over to him. “Here. Have a sip of this.”

Cell shook his head, holding his hand up. “No. No I kind of like this.” He coughed again, “So this is spicy. It feels like there is a ki blast in my mouth. It burns.”

“Yeah. That’s not even the spiciest there is. There are some things so spicy it can make you cry or even get sick.”

“And people enjoy that?”

You reached for mackerel next, wanting to get that one out of the way. You were not a fan of it. “Yeah, some people love it. But… Like some things are just spicy. It has no complexity. But others have more to it. Usually people enjoy the more complex spicy and not just the burn… Does that make sense?”

“It makes perfect sense.” Cell stated, smirking at you.

Out of the first serving, Cell was fond of Salmon, white fish, yellow tail, and escolar. Mackerel was ‘like sewage’ according to him, and you wondered how he knew what that tasted like. Squid and scallop was ‘chewy’. Octopus, salmon roe, tuna, and shrimp was just so so. The freshwater eel with the sauce was his absolute favorite. He had even licked his fingers clean.

You agreed with him on that one.

“Alright our rolls should be coming next. How do you feel? Full?”

Cell shook his head. “I do not get full. All of this is just added to my biomas and increases my power level, abet not as high as absorbing someone.”

Eating with no consequences? Sounded great to you. “Do you get hungry?”

“I have not been hungry since my imperfect form.” He looked at you, smirk on his face, “This is simply for the pleasure of it.”

“The taste is what makes eating fun.” you agreed, smiling as the first rolls were handed to you both. You took the end of your king kong roll, putting the whole piece into your mouth, even the shrimp tail. The lemon slices, the seared tuna… everything just went so well together. You took the other end, and put it on Cell’s plate.

“What is this?”

“I’m sharing a bit of my meal with you. Can I have a piece of your spicy tuna?”

He motioned to his plate, and you grabbed a piece, putting it in your mouth. Yeah, you were not a fan of this kind of sushi. It didn't have… enough to it for your taste. Cell seemed to like it though, but he liked spicy food apparently, so it made sense.

You were beginning to feel the first bits of fullness now. You finished your first roll, and the Chef handed you the grand finale, your favorite roll. The monster roll. Tempura shrimp, avocado, imitation crab meat, wrapped in soy paper and rice, with fresh water eel and that tasty eel sauce on top. Just like the first time, you and Cell exchanged a piece with one another.

“Mango Tango.” Cell said it again, slow just like before. “What a silly name.” he took a bite, nodding to himself. “This is interesting. Its… Hm.”

You took a bite of your own piece. The mango was sweet, the sauce on top sour, the california roll and the avocado creamy. “Its sweet and sour.”

“Sweet and sour…” Cell took another bite, “I like it.”

You finished up, Cell equally impressed with his piece of the monster roll. The bill was handed to you and you winced. That was a lot. You would have to take an extra mission to compensate for it. You reached into your pocket, pulling out your wallet and leaving a few bills, then stood to put a twenty in the tip jar.

With everything paid you got up, bowing to the servers and chef. “Thank you for the meal.”

Cell only nodded his head to them, but it was certainly more than you expected. He must of been impressed. The two of you walked back up to his spot on the mushroom mountains. You ate a bit to much, feeling winded by the time you got back.

“Did you have fun?”

Cell made a thoughtful sound. “I did indeed enjoy myself. It was a pleasant first date.”

Your face got hot as he looked at you, chuckling. He leaned down, a pleased smirk on his face “Yes. I know what a date is. And, I would not mind going on another.”

You nodded, blushing. “I wouldn’t mind either. Maybe a movie next time.”

“It’s a date then.”


End file.
